Softly Falls the Rain
by Finnov
Summary: Alana joined Frodo & Sam for the end of the journey, but after all there is an accident that leaves her and someone else's life by a thread.
1. Alana

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Alana

Alana frowned as the rocks beneath her slid slowly. Gripping Niltincoiel's reigns tighter in her already bruised hands Alana ignored the sounds of the frantic animal.

"Well, Nilcoire, it looks like a hard journey down this mountain." She commented looking at the gray wolf standing behind the stallion mare's black frame.

Nilcoire whimpered softly, knowing that it did not really matter what happened to Alana know, for she would die soon anyway. Either from lack of food and drink, or from the broken heart that she had now that she was missing both of her parents. 

The ground beneath Alana sifted again, and she plunged down, as if skiing on snow. Her feet were set, and her body tense. As the rock she was standing on rammed into another, Alana was hurled towards the ground, finally letting go of the horse. The frightened mare shot down the rocky hill and skidded to a stop by the now moaning Alana, Nilcoire coming up close to her. 

"Ow. My head. My head. It hurts. Make it stop! Please…" She cried from below, and the frightened elfling curled up around her legs and cried softly. The last twenty four hours had been hard on her, but not as hard as the past year.

//~// Flash back //~//

"Alana? Stay here with your grandmother. I need to speak with your father." Thranduil took his son arm and led him away, allowing Alana to stay and talk to Aleaega. 

"So my dear how have you been recently? I hear your mother is pregnant again."

"Yes, Grandmother. Ada thinks it'll be a boy this time. But he tells me he's happy with just our little family now." Alana said softly.

"I imagine he is."

Alana could feel a strange compulsion to leave the room then. "I need to check on something, I'll be back in one minuet."

"Yes, my dear. Don't be long." 

Alana went outside and dunked her head in a fountain, trying to understand what had scared her. A loud booming noise, many screams and powerful impact with the marble path were the last things Alana witnessed before blacking out.

***

Alana ran as fast as she could from the burning forest around her, and clean out of Mirkwood. She sobbed harshly as she thought of her now dead mother, father, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and friends. She decided that it was up to her then, being the last of the family, to rule Mirkwood.

Alana had walked many miles and for many months wandered, finally making it home. To her amazement she saw on the palace steps…

"Grandfather!" Thranduil spun around at the sound of Alana's voice. Face lighting up when he saw her. 

"Alana!" He caught her up in her arms and hugged her harshly. "We thought you were dead!" 

"I thought you were too!" Alana hugged him fiercely, realizing that if Thranduil had escaped.

"What happened to Ada, Grandfather?"

Thranduil's face saddened a bit. "If you had been here a few months ago you could have stopped him, but he has marched off to his death. We got a message, only this morning, and I fear your father is dead." 

"No! But he can't be! Grandfather!" 

"Shhh, shh. Little one." Alana clung and sobbed softly, being only a young elf, (In human years around twelve) and very emotional.

Later that night Alana, blinded by grief, bound off with her father's stallion, her favorite hunting wolf, and a heavy heart. She, too, would march to her death.

//~// End of Flash back //~//

Alana remembered sadly what had happened and allowed her tears to fall harder. She had been traveling for weeks and was headed towards Mordor, wanting to meet her death. 

Standing up, Alana slung herself onto the horse and started off again.

***

Alana gripped her knives in her sweaty hands, looking at the two forms scurrying along Mordor's border. Interesting things, these small creatures were, and Alana decided to approach.

"Greetings." She called. Niltincoiel followed with Nilcoire behind. 

The two creatures turned quickly, reaching for their meager weapons. "Who are you?" One of them asked.

"My name is Alana, of Mirkwood. Who are you, to travel these desolate lands?"

"I am Sam, and this is Mister Frodo. I should ask you the same things."

"I travel because I have a wish to die." Alana said nonchalantly. 

"Why do you have a death wish?" The one whom had not spoken asked quietly. Frodo.

"Why should I live? My family has been killed off, my heart is heavy, I will die soon anyway." Alana responded.

"Well, the way we're going, Miss Elf, we'll end up dead anyway." Frodo didn't understand exactly, but her felt a strange connection for this elf, telling him to trust her.

"Than I shall accompany you for a little while." 


	2. Simple as a game of Cards

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Simple as a game of Cards

Manloth was a simple card game, with up to ten players, seven cards each, some brainpower, and about a billion cheats. The game was simple enough, each player was trying to get all of one suite, highest numbers all added up, and a ton of items from the gambling. 

Gambling, as was a rule, was a male game, but any elf in Mirkwood knew there was one exception, and that was Novthô l, the only player in all of Middle Earth to have successfully creamed every player to go against them, and didn't ever cheat. 

At first Novthô l had gone out dressed in male clothing, hoping to be looked over as a woman, until she had been summoned to the palace to play against the royal family, and nothing got by them. None of the family had gone hard on the woman, for they were all defeated by her as well. 

To any visitor, such as the envoy from Rivendell, Aragorn, would have found this morally wrong, but it was Aragorn who decided to ask why an elf maiden was at a bar with an infant playing cards.

"Because," Came the simple reply, "I can whoop any warriors butt, and undoubtedly would slaughter you." 

"Then I'll challenge you to a game of cards." Aragorn said. Novthô l smiled and nodded, before sitting down and pulling out a pack of cards, handing it to Aragorn for his inspection. After Aragorn had looked over the cards he handed the maiden the cards and the game began.

Only to be lost. Aragorn looked at her suspiciously. How had a silly maiden beaten him? 

"You see, friend, this situation is as simple as a game of cards. We all gotta start somewhere, and you chose the wrong spot to try your recklessness in cards." She shuffled the cards and put them away. 

The door of the tavern opened and Legolas Greenleaf stepped in, lifting the now squealing infant girl in his arms, and walked over to the table. 

"Hello Aragorn, what are you doing in this forsaken tavern." 

"I'm being beaten by an elf maiden." Aragorn grumbled, glaring at the smiling Novthô l.

"Ahh, you have met my charming wife, and best Manloth player in all Middle Earth." Smiling at the man's startled face, he pulled his wife from the table. 

"See ya at home, Legolas, Alana needs to go sleepy, don't we, baby." Novthô l said to the yawning child in her arms.

"No… sleep… sleep." The girl by then had settled against her mother and fallen asleep. 

"Yes, I shall see you at home." 

***

Alana blinked her tired eyes opened. How had she remembered that? 

Sam popped up next to her and said, "Nice to see you awake, Miss Alana, we were just talking of what to do next."

Looking around, Alana nodded and stood. Starting up towards another ridge of the terrible rocky mountain. 

"Well, my friends, we have to start somewhere, so lets begin with the obvious, and not test ourselves." She smiled as she nearly quoted her mother, yes, this was going to be interesting.


	3. Tales of Elven Kings

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Tales of Elven Kings

"So where do you come from, Miss Alana?"

"Mirkwood, I told you that before." Alana looked across the fire at Sam and Frodo, both looking back with a curious glance.

"Tell us about your family." Frodo said softly. He had heard the Elven child cry during the night lately, and wanted to understand a bit about her.

"Well, what do I say? My mother was a peasant's daughter, a warrior and the best gambler of all time, not to mention the only female one. My father was a prince, warrior, and a teacher to several. I was the oddest maiden in Mirkwood for I could gamble almost as well as my mother, and fight almost as well as my father, and I did that instead of croqueting and prissy stuff like that. Boys didn't like me 'cause I was a girl, and girls didn't like how I was different, so I hung out with my too fun and only informal household in all of the Elven lands." 

"So, your mother gambled and your father fought?"

"Yep." Alana threw a stick into the tiny flame, intensifying it slightly.

"Tell me more about your home, Miss Alana." Frodo said as he crawled over towards her.

"Oh, alright." Alana sighed. "Well, this tale of the Elven Kings begins…"

"Elven Kings?" Sam looked purely intrigued.

"The Elven King Chronicles are records kept of the royal family. My father read me some of them, and I read my parent's story so many times I've memorized it. So this is what happened…"

***

They say if you drop a drop of poison in a cup all the liquid in the cup goes bad, but in the case of Novthô l this is not true. The peasant maiden did not poison the glass, but instead changed it. Women are not allowed to become warriors, nor to gamble, but Novthô l had done both, and exceeded all male companions. Legolas, son of Thranduil, had seemed to express interest in this girl.

The two of them seemed to 'hit it right off' as men would say. They were soon scheduled to be married. And then a problem arose.

"I am going!" 

"No! You will stay here! Please, love stay! Don't go out to die!"

"I am going, Legolas, and that is that." 

Orcs had invaided the southern line of Mirkwood, and warriors were called. At the point that Novthô l was saddled and ready to go. She was angry, and Legolas knew enough not to argue with her. 

They traveled with a group of warriors to the line and fought bravely, until…

"Novthô l!" Legolas lept to the warrioress' side and stroked the strands of hair from her face. An arrow was protruding from the woman's stomach, and there was not much hope in his heart she would surrivive.

Legolas gently took the arrow from her, and wrapped a torn piece of his cloak around the wound, oblivious to the fight. Scooping her up he ran to his stallion, whom was hiding in the woods, and started off for the palace to get her help.

Six hours later Novthô l was fine and gently sleeping. Legolas sat by her side stroking her face softly. He whispered his love to her and then left the healing tent to go home.

A month later they were happily married and a child is on the way.

***

"And then I came along, there was fire that killed my family with the exception of my father and grandfather. Father was killed recently in battle." Alana finished. 

Sam and Frodo looked at each other. So Legolas was her father, no wonder she looked like him. 

"Alana," Frodo said softly, "the last time I checked your father wasn't dead…"

R/R please! Bad cliffhanger. What do you think? Next chapter we might tell what's happening to 'Daddy' right then, so you may not get to find out what happens to Alana 'til later.


	4. Tell me, Master Elf

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Tell me, Master Elf

Gimli looked up at his friend warily. Ever since the halflings disappeared Legolas had been silent and sad. His face was hidden and the pale skin was nearly white. Something had haunted the Elf before the Company reached Lothlorien and now it had intensified. 

"Legolas? Something ails you, I can tell, do you wish to rest?" Aragorn asked coming up behind the Elf.

"I am fine, Aragorn. Do not wait for me, I will overcome whatever ails me." Legolas said, not looking up.

"Legolas, you have kept your secrets long enough. Tell us what it is. Tell me, Master Elf." Gimli practically begged him.

"Some time ago in Lothlorien Galadriel offered me something that is impossible for me to get. And now it is catching up with me."

"What did she offer you?"

"My family."

***

//Flashback//

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"And you, Legolas Greenleaf, I can offer you what your heart desires. Your wife and child. I can save you." 

'And she offers me the impossible.' Legolas thought as he walked through the paths of Lothlorien. 

'She is powerful, but not enough o bring back the dead. Some things just can't happen.'

//End of Flashback//

***

"You have a wife and child?" Aragorn asked. 

"Yes. My wife, well, she was the best gambler of all Middle Earth, or so they claim, and the only maiden who can gamble period. My daughter, much like a female version of me. Her name was Alana. She is what keeps me alive."

"I thought you said they were dead." Gimli was becoming confused.

"They are, but we are still wishing that Alana could have escaped. They never found her body." Legolas looked up finally, and they could see the fresh tear tracks on his face. 

"So you stay with the hope?"

"Yes." 

"Then she is alive." 

"What?"

"Galadriel said before we left to you in Quenya that you should not give up hope and you'd be rewarded." Aragorn said, starting up faster.

"Yes." Legolas, smiled blandly. 

"Come! Enough of the sadness! We Merry and Pippin to save!" Gimli began to jog down behind his now sprinting friends.

"Hey! Wait up!" Gimli could hear his friends laughter.

Told you I'd get Legolas in the next chapter! Short, I know. More soon! R/R


	5. Nilcoire's Mission

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Nilcoire's Mission 

"What?" Alana lunged foreword towards Frodo.

"Last time I checked your father wasn't dead." Frodo began to wiggle out of Alana's now securing hold.

"Nilcoire." The wolf looked up, after being overlooked for a while he was glad. "You and Niltincoiel go. If you can find you Master." The wolf turned with a flick of his tail and began to run from the three on the desolate mountain side.

"May they have haste." Sam murmured.

***

A few days later.

Legolas lay on the ground, leaning against the barricade door. The battle at Helm's Deep had just ended, and the dead were being counted. Legolas felt his weariness lower him for a second until.

A shrill wolf cry pierced the Elf's ears. Sitting straight up, Legolas grabbed his things and climbed up the ladder to the outer wall.

"Shoot it." A man was saying.

"How did it get up here?" Another asked.

Legolas began to push his way imbetween the men around him to see what they were speaking of. When he got to the edge of the crowd Legolas could see a large wolf facing two men off, the furry back turned. The wolf looked strangely familiar.

It was not till Legolas felt a wet nose shove him from imbetween the shoulder blades did he step foreword. Spinning Legolas found himself looking at the soft eyes of a certain clack mare he thought he had left at home…

"Niltincoiel." He murmured. Now realizing where he had seen the wolf he turned and said, loud enough to be heard by all in the area. "Nilcoire." 

The wolf twisted his head around and, seeing who it was, and a loud yip before barreling straight into Legolas head on and knocking him to the ground. 

Gasps went up from among the crowd, and Legolas smiled. "Oh, my friends. What are you doing here?"

***

Alana sat by the fireside, watching Frodo anxiously as he explained the Fellowship. She at first had been filled with hope, but now she realized that when Frodo and Sam had left the Fellowship the message of her father's death had not been written yet, and she had still been wandering in the wild.

"Frodo. My Grandfather got the message around three days after you left the Fellowship, and it was sent by eagle to him, speeding it all up. You must have seen my father on his last dying days." 

Frodo frowned. He had hoped that Legolas was fine. Legolas was such a good friend now. And so was his daughter.

"I still can't see him as a father." 

"Neither can I, Sam."

***

Legolas was once again laying next to the barricade, only now he had a long haired wolf laying on one side, and a stallion tramping about everywhere. Once the intial shock was over, the men began to like these odd newcomers. But of course, Legolas mused, Aragorn and Gimli haven't been introduced. 

Standing up, Legolas shooed the wolf away, and gathered himself, just before Aragorn walked into the room.

"You know." Aragorn said coming up to Legolas, "I know recall meeting your wife. I think I saw your daughter too." 

Legolas sent a sad look at Aragorn, and Aragorn met his eyes. 

"Legolas, Galadriel said back in Lothlorien that you would be awarded fopr your works, as we all would be. You need to keep the past alive to accept whatever is coming to you." 

Legolas sighed. Aragorn just didn't understand what he was going through. 

"Maybe, my friend, maybe."


	6. Friend or Foe?

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Friend or Foe?

Alana looked across the fire to where the new creature, Gollum, lay trying to rid himself of his collar. His skinny hands were grabbing onto the rope and he was wailing. 

"It hurts us! Take it off us!" Gollum rolled about on the ground, like he had been doing for the past hour or two.

"Every orc miles from here will find us with this racket, Mister Frodo." Sam said, clinging to the rope in his hand. Frodo shook his head.

"It hurts us! Master! Take it off us!" Gollum screamed again. 

"Oh, shut up." Alana grumbled.

Gollum looked up angrily. "What does ancient elf know of Gollum." 

Alana was insulted. "Hey, now." She growled, standing up quickly and advancing on Gollum. "I may not be ancient, but I'm not stupid. You piece of scum." Alana kicked at Gollum.

"How old are you, Miss Alana?" Sam asked, looking up from Gollum for a second.

"Sixty. In your terms I'm twelve, though. Elves mature five times slower than men of hobbits." Alana began to pick up rocks, and seeing the hobbits faces she said. "For protection if the creature escapes."

"You would have been born around the same time Bilbo was in Mirkwood, then." Frodo commented.

"Why do you think Grandfather was so uncomfortable with strangers? Thought someone was going to steal me from my cradle." Alana grinned for the first time in weeks.   
Frodo smiled lightly. Alana so far had made the journey a whole lot easier on him by seeing things far off and taking night watches. She would tell Elven lore and other stories, sing at night, and though she was still grieving, she gave light humor sometimes, and made then laugh more with her hard expression.

"Master! Take it off us!" Gollum was now at Frodo's feet, wailing. Alana sighed and sat down. 

Frodo reached down towards Gollum. "Don't take it off him, Frodo, unless you are sure whether he's friend of foe." Alana warned.

"Don't worry, Miss Alana, I know." 

***

Thranduil walked across the bedroom floor, to a large chest to put another letter in it. This letter, however, was happier than the others that he had put in it this year. This letter was telling him that his son still lived, and that it was a miracle he did. The first letter that year spoke of death, and the other of Alana's flight, to die.

'I wish I could tell her now that her father lives.' Thranduil thought sadly. Opening the ancient chest he laid another letter on top of the thousands he and his own father had had. One day he would take them all west.

'if only.'

***

Gollum was now running happily along in front of the trio walking to Mordor. 

"I can't believe that you trusted that worm." Alana said, thinking of all the insults Gollum had thrown at her.

Frodo smiled. "You're just jealous that he likes me more than you." Frodo jested.

"Jealous? I pity you." Alana smiled at Sam who was not enjoying Gollum's stay any more than she was.

Frodo grinned again, feeling as though the ring was as light as air right then. 

"I wonder what the rest of the Fellowship is doing." Sam said suddenly.

Alana nodded. She was wondering that too.

***

Aragorn was tossing and turning in his blankets inside of Helm's Deep. Tonight was the last time he'd be here, after this he was going through some passage with the people of Rohan. Suddenly Aragorn felt something sniffing him.

Starting up and reaching for his sword, Aragorn turned to face a large wolf, that had stopped sniffing him abruptly. The wolf whimpered, and then turned to hide behind the sleeping Legolas.

Legolas awoke to see Aragorn's sword being held right behind his head.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"There's a wolf behind you. I'll kill it." Aragorn pulled his arm back for the kill but Legolas stopped him.

"No!" Legolas laughed and said, "This is Nilcoire, he's a Mirkwood hunting wolf! He probably just sniffing you out." 

Aragorn frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Wanted you to meet him first hand." Legolas grinned.

"Stupid Elf." Aragorn said to him, sounding like Gimli.

"Clumsy Human." Legolas muttered.

R/R Please!!!!!!!!!! Tell me if I should skip seeing the Oliphants or not. (Need to see the movie to know what Oliphants.)


	7. Faramir

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Faramir

Sam and Frodo looked down on the double-tusked Oliphants with interest, while Alana and Gollum lay in the brush a few feet away. Alana didn't find the huge animals at all interesting, for she had seen them before. 

Looking over his shoulder at Alana, Frodo asked, "Don't you want to see the Oliphants, Miss Alana?" 

"Not particularly." Alana rolled onto her stomach on the rock she had moved to, like she was trying to sun her back. 

Frodo nodded and turned back to the demonic creatures, and watched them thrash about. He started at something.

Arrows were flying through the brush and shooting down all the men and seemed to try to shoot down the Oliphants. Men were coming from everywhere in the forest, bows drawn and firing. 

Men emerged from behind the group and grabbed Frodo and Sam, completely missing Alana and Gollum laying in the underbrush. Yanking the two hobbits away, Alana rose and drew her daggers.

"Come on Gollum, we got work to go." Gollum looked up at Alana and they began to follow the men.

Watching the men from behind some rocks, Alana saw another man emerge. He began to speak to the hobbits.

"Who are you?" 

"I should ask you the same thing." Sam spoke up. 

"Be quiet." Snapped the man holding Sam's arms.

"I am Faramir, if it comforts you to know." Faramir said to the hobbits.

"I am Frodo, this is my companion Sam." Frodo answered Faramir's earlier question.

Alana sunk down, reaching out to catch Gollum's skinny arm. Unfortunately, Gollum had spotted a swimming pool, and decided to get a few fish. 

"No!" Alana cried softly, covering her eyes as Gollum jumped in, awaking the guard men.

***

Alana threw a kick at Gollum, ignoring the look Frodo gave her. "Stupid Gollum! Had to get us caught!" She raged.

Gollum skittered away from Alana's legs and closer to Frodo. "Don't let her hurts us!" Frodo shook his head. 

"This is crazy." Sam said. 

The door opened and Faramir came in. "Come. We are releasing you. You are free to go now." 

"Thank you." Frodo said, "May we stay the night though?" 

"Of course." Faramir smiled. "Make yourself comfortable." 

"Sure." Alana said grumpily.

"I apologize for Alana, she has gone through a lot lately." Frodo said, stretching. 

"A lot is very miminized version of my story." 

Frodo shook his head. How had he gotten stuck with these crazy people?

***

"Are you sure this animal doesn't have rabies?" Gimli asked, looking down at the bushy wolf. 

Legolas laughed and stroked his hand down Nilcoire's back from between his ears. "He is perfectly safe." 

"Yeah right." Gimli said.

Legolas and Aragorn just asked.

R/R Really short chapter. Happy Holidays. 


	8. Shelob

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Shelob

"I don't like this, Frodo." Alana said, looking down at the hobbit.

"Stop worrying, Alana." Frodo replied, his voice rasping from lack of drink.

Sam looked around unhappily. After meeting up with Faramir several weeks prior, the journey had taken a nasty turn into a dark cavern like hole. Most hobbits didn't like the dark period, and this wasn't a welcome experience. 

Frodo was holding Galadriel's gift out in front of him for light and walking faster than anyone else in the group. After coming to this place Gollum had abandoned them making Frodo feel suspicious and scared.

"Ew." Alana lifted up her foot and examined the muck now covering the sole of her boot. 

Sam laughed at Alana's feminine reaction to the slime and mud in the cave, and found it a welcome distraction from the horrid stench.

"Oh so you think it's funny? Do you know what we could be stepping in." Alana glared at the laughing hobbit, and pointed to the gunk everywhere.

"I have a good idea, Miss Alana." Sam chuckled again, ignoring the shaken fist.

Frodo didn't smile at his friend's antics, but instead frowned.

"Be quiet." He hissed, remembering the last time he was in a cave and the terrible price that the Fellowship had paid for noise. "We don't know what's out there!"

Alana and Sam stopped at the fiery rebuke, and Alana put her hand on Frodo's shoulder. Frodo, however, wiggled out from under her hand and growled up at her.

Alana looked at her feet, somewhat confused but began to walk again. She heard someone come up behind her, and by the sound of the clumsy footfalls she guessed it was Sam.

"Don't worry Miss Alana, the Ring has been poisoning his mind for the whole journey, he isn't usually like this." Sam muttered into her pointed ears. Alana simply nodded.

For the rest of the day the trio marched quietly, the hobbits tripping once in a while. Soon they were laying to rest while Alana stood on guard, then it happened.

"Ai! Ai!" Alana was shouting.

A great spider was stepping out of the darkness, more gigantic than anything the young Elf had ever seen. The two hobbits awoke and took up their swords and the three prepared to fight.

Alana shot arrows from her bow faster than one could count, but most hit the beast in it's legs, not helping a bit. Now taking out her daggers she ran foreword and began to hack at the spider's legs. Running to the other side of the beast for a moment she only heard the screams of orcs and the wail of Frodo Baggins as Shelob bit down upon her prey. 

Digging her daggers into the beast's back she tore the creature's side as she leapt off and ran over to where Sam lay huddled in the dark, unconscious, but in his hand was the Ring. In another he held Sting and around his neck was Galadriel's light.

Frodo was no where to be seen. Even if he was he was surely dead.


	9. Cirith Ungol

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Cirith Ungol 

Disclaimer: I haven't put one of these handy things on yet. Well, sad to say it, but only Alana and her animal companions, (Niltincoiel, Nilcoire) are mine.

Sam and Alana slipped through the tiny opening in the Black Gates and slipped into the dark, smelly land of Mordor. Though they had finally gotten through, the heavy-hearted companions did not throw their hands up and cheer, instead Sam collapsed to the ground and wept bitterly, raining the thirsty land with his tears. Alana, now filled past the brink with grief silently let her tears well up and fall from her eyes. 

"Come, Sam. There is still hope. Someone took Frodo's body, let us at least give him a funeral." Alana said, wiping her tears with the arms of her shirt.

Sam suddenly lifted his head to the heavens and listened. The sounds of angry orcs rose to his ears, but above all he heard a familiar wail.

"Mister Frodo!" He cried, standing quickly. He motioned to Alana, and they started towards a large, black tower. He slipped inside the large door, and Alana followed, seeing many dead orc bodies.

"They don't get along with anyone, do they?" Alana commented. Sam however didn't reply and instead started up a staircase.

Alana sighed and followed him, and suddenly heard Sam begin to sing:

**_In the western lands beneath the Sun_

The flowers may rise in Spring,

The trees may bud, the waters run,

The merry finches sing,

Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night,

And swaying beeches bear,

And Elven-stars as jewels bright,

Amid the branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie

In darkness buried deep

Beyond all towers strong and high

Beyond all mountains steep

Above all shadows rides the Sun

And Stars for ever dwell

I will not say the day is done,

Nor bid the Stars farewell.

Beyond all towers strong and high… **

Sam's voice stuttered and he again listened. It sounded as though someone was trying to answer Sam's song. Instead Alana heard footsteps. Heavy orc footsteps.

** "Ho la! You up there, you dunghill rat! Stop your squeaking or all come up I'll come up and deal with you! D'you hear?"** The voice said gruffly.

The orc was quiet for a second. "Well I'll come and see what you're up to." the sound of hinges creaking and then the voice again. "Now you be quiet! You don't got too much time to live in peace anyway, but ya don't want the fun to start now! There's a reminder for you!" The sound of a cracking whip alerted Sam and he ran up the steps like a cat. 

There were some loud thumps, and them an orc's scream, before a large, ugly orc fell down the hanging ladder and he was obviously dead. He was also missing a hand.

Alana went up the ladder quickly and found Sam shaking a barely covered, (but obviously naked) Frodo. Walking closer to him, Alana could see a whip-weal running down his side.

"Frodo?" Alana asked, stepping hesitantly forward. Frodo, to her amusement, suddenly became very self-conscious and tried to cover himself with a rag he had been laying on.

"He'll be okay." Sam said, evidently relived.

Alana giggled at Frodo's scarlet face, (which was hard to pick out with the scarlet light.) 

"Don't worry Frodo!" Alana giggled a bit harder, thinking of what she was about to say, "No matter how diligent I am, I've seen worse than naked men. Elves aren't that concealed people. They all swim and bathe in the nude, in the open, pretty much." it was true. Elves all bathed and swam in a lagoon by the palace grounds, and so the inhabitance of Mirkwood had seen the opposite gender naked before.

Frodo stood, but wrapped the cloth about his waist anyhow, still not liking having a *young* and impressionable girl seeing him without clothes. 

"Well, Mister Frodo, I think I shall go find you some clothes. You can't be going around the Black Lands with naught but your skin on!" 

"Sam they took everything! Everything! Don't you understand Sam! The quest has failed!" Frodo cowered on the floor with his head bowed.

"Well, not everything, Mister Frodo. You have forgotten that you lent me Sting. And you gave me the Light. But, pardon me, Mister Frodo, I took it. I have it around my neck now." 

"What? You have it here? Sam you're a marvel!" Frodo's face suddenly changed, as if a mist had filled his eyes. "Give it to me! You can't have it!" 

"Now, now Frodo." Alana said as Sam handed over the ring.

The mist seemed to clear, and Frodo realized what happened. "Oh Sam." he murmered, hugging his friend.

"Now, Mister Frodo, I shall go find you clothes. You're going to be wearing orc trousers, but it won't kill you." Sam got up and left the area, down the ladder, murmering a password to Alana as he went by.

"What was that?" Frodo asked as he slipped on the ring's chain.

"We shouldn't let anyone up here unless they say '_Elbereth_'. No orc would say that." Alana pulled up the ladder and sat down to wait.

***

"_Elbereth_!" A hiss came from below.

Alana dropped the ladder down and up came Sam, holding a bag filled with clothes.

"All that it for Frodo? You'll smother him!" Alana exclaimed, seeing the giant bag.

"No. All of us are wearing orc clothes." Sam put down the bag and began pulling out clothes, handing Alana over-clothes and an orc cloak.

"I am NOT wearing orc clothes!" Alana hissed, allowing her feminine side to step out a bit.

"We will all look like perfect little orcs. It'll be a bit warm though, for we can't leave our other clothes here." Sam slid on his clothes, and laughed as Alana wrinkled her nose in disgust with her new apparel.

Slipping out of the tower was easy, and they began down the road.

"You know my father would have a good laugh at this." Alana grumbled as she looked at her clothes, and reached up on her hairline stuffing the last strands of hair that stuck out back under her helmet. "My, daughter," he'd say, "was an complementary orc for a few days!"

"We don't have to worry about tomorrow, though," Alana continued, "for it probably won't come." 

R/R! **PLEASE READ: **I need to find an Elvish dictionary so that I can write something. Please help me! It will help A LOT! 

Please also note that all things marked with ** come straight from Book Six, Chapter One, The Tower of Cirith Ungol, in ROTK.


	10. Lament

Thank you soooooo muck Kristal! 

Also, I wanted to comment to any who are wondering, the term 'perfect little orcs' comes straight from the book. Another thing, some stuff I have said doesn't make too muck sense, but it will in the end. -FINNOV

__

Lament

Legolas stared gravely up at the stars. _How cold are the stars that they no longer will send me light and warmth._ Legolas sighed to himself and walked a bit further from the war company he was with. 

Legolas slipped his arm around one of the few trees in the area, hugging it closer to him, and sadly let a few tears drip from his eyes. Lifting his face he quietly began to sing:

__

Ní n dî s Im fir 

Ní n iell Im maeth i ú an.

Malt a celeb ava dar ní n mel

Im tol 

Im fir

Im mel

Car mel nin. 

"What do you think that means?" Gimli asked as Legolas began the slow song again. 

"I know." Aragorn answered.

"Well?" 

"My bride, I fade

My daughter, I fight the beast,

Gold and silver won't halt my love

I come,

I die

I love

Do love me."

__

"I don't understand what you mean by that." Gimli tried to grasp the concept of such a short, and considerably strange, lament.

"He is mourning, Gimli. He sings to his family tonight, the ones that he couldn't save. I think he's asking them to forgive him for not saving them." Aragorn looked at his friend again, who had now sunk to his knees singing to the heavens.

__

Gimli sighed and turned back to his work, but never stopped listening to the lament.

***

Alana pulled another thorn from the orc cloak and shook her head. 

"We should," she complained to Sam. "have gotten chain mail, but somebody didn't think of it." 

Sam smiled timidly up at the annoyed Elf and pulled another thorn from his own cloak.

"Well, now we're in Morgai." Frodo said to his companions, from over his shoulder.

"We're almost there!" Alana said happily, and briskly began walking in the direction of Mount Doom. 

"Yep." Frodo muttered, feeling his attachment to the Ring grow. 

"Soon, Mister Frodo, we'll be back in Hobbiton." Sam said, also fairly happy at the idea of getting home.

'Yes, Sam, we will."

R/R! Please! http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/sindarin.htm#Heading19 is a good place for Sindarin, and if you go to the main page you can see other Arda languages too! 


	11. Mount Doom

__

Mount Doom

Alana wrinkled her nose as the stench of orc, very dead orc, reached her. 

"Samwise Gamgee, I swear that if I ever get my hands on you, you will rue the day you were born!" 

"It wasn't my fault that the orcs saw our fire! If you hadn't been singing, we would be at home and safe already!" Sam argued. 

"Take you longer to get home!" Alana slew another orc with a long, white knife, similar to her father's, Sam noticed.

Once the orcs were dispatched of, Alana instantaneously began hiking up Mount Doom. She was anxious to reach home, and to be with her Grandfather. 

"We would have been better off if we hadn't brought her along, Mister Frodo." Sam was saying as he too began up the steep mountain.

"You would have died!" Alana yelled from above. 

"Yeah right! I could take care of Frodo." Sam yelled at her as she stopped to wait for them.

"More like his dead body!" Alana replied.

"I'm telling you Mister Frodo, we would be a billion times further if she wasn't here!" 

"Must you two fight all the time?" Frodo asked, and sighed when they both nodded.

"I say we abandon her here on this ridge." Sam whispered into Frodo's ear. 

"I say you both shut your mouths." Frodo said, pointedly motioning to the orc carcasses on the rocks below.

They trio rounded another corner and for the first time could see the opening to destroy the Ring. But something then happened the travelers did not intend. A scrawny creature stepped out in front of them. Gollum.

"Wicked master! Steal precious! Mustn't go that way, yess, give to Gollum, yess." Gollum hissed and stepped toward Frodo. 

"No! No! Back you devil!" Frodo cried as Gollum sprung, tearing at him for the Ring. 

Frodo flung Gollum against the rock, and Sam drew his sword. "Leave!" Sam growled. "Leave now!" Lunging at Gollum, Sam thrust his sword at the scrawny creature. 

"No! Leave us be!" Gollum began to crawl away, back into the darkness.

Alana, now determined to prove she was help on this quest, didn't move a muscle. Instead she watched the, thing, scamper away.

"Why didn't you do anything, Miss Alana?" Sam asked, looking at her.

"You seem to think you can survive this trip without me, so I'm not going to help you anymore." Alana grinned at Sam's exasperated face. 

The road went on, as did the argument between the ever proper Sam and stubborn Elf-child. Frodo frowned, whatever this was becoming, he knew that it was going to get worse, for the Ring was pulling him harder, and weighing even more.

They were soon standing right next to the chasm where they would destroy the Ring. Frodo suddenly felt his attachment bear even heavier on him. 

"Throw it in, Master Frodo! It'll all be over, then!" Sam urged. 

"Yes Frodo! Sam and I are actually agreeing here! Throw it in and savor our blessing!" Alana screamed loudly at him.

"No. Now that I am faced with this I don't want to get rid of the Ring. It came to me! It's mine!" Frodo took the Ring and jammed it onto his finger, giving into madness. However there was someone that the group had over looked.

Gollum raced at the unseen hobbit. He leapt at him clawing madly, and not even Frodo could escape now. Gollum bit down hard on one of his hands, and with a scream his left ring finger, and took both the Ring and the finger from Frodo. But, Gollum, being to close to the edge, toppled over, and with one last wail, the Ring was gone. 

"Oh Frodo, your poor hand!" Sam said a he ran to Frodo.

Flame erupted from the pit and Sam grabbed Frodo. The three raced from the chamber, and shot down the side of the mountain like frightened rabbits. 

Collapsing next to a large rock, they laid down side by side, and that it how Gwahir the Giant Eagle found them. The three were swept up and taken towards Gondor, where the rest of the Fellowship was.

Gandalf saw to them, but took Alana from the two hobbits and placed her in another room, for he knew who she was, and the fact she was a young female weighed upon his mind. 

***

Alana blinked her eyes open and studied the room she was in. it was blue, with white curtains and two large chairs, one in which was inhabited by a certain wizard.

"Mithrandir!" Alana cried as she sat up. 

Smiling Gandalf stood up and walked towards her, letting his white robes fall to the earth.

"You've changed color since we last met." Alana commented. "I guess we can't call you 'Grey Pilgrim' anymore." 

"No child. Are you feeling well?" 

"About as good as a spring chicken around Mid winter." Alana replied, rubbing her sore arms. "Where's Frodo and Sam? I need to kill Sam, so you should tell me soon." 

"Do not worry, young one. All is well. They are attending something, and worring about you, you've been asleep for almost a week." _they are also talking to your father, though they aren't mentioning you, and I shan't mention him either. _

"I was tired. Still am. Need to sleep. Good, what ever time of day it is." With that Alana slipped off into Elven dreams, leaving Gandalf to watch. 

R/R I still have a few good chapters to go before the end. Please don't leave me! 


	12. Aragorn and Gimli

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Aragorn and Gimli

Alana blinked open her eyes and sat up, glancing around the room. In one of the large armchairs showed that weight was being put on them, and so Alana suspected Gandalf was still in her room.

"Gandalf?" She asked, and the figure sat up quickly, only proving that Gandalf was not the person there.

This person was tall and dark, with ragged locks and fair clothes. His eyes were grey and his expression neutral. 

"And so you awaken, young one." The man said, "I am Aragorn, King of Gondor." Aragorn smiled, and reached out to tough her hand.

"I'm Alana." The Elf said, looking up into the man's eyes.

"Alana? Alana what?" Aragorn suddenly felt slightly suspicious. When he had first come in he had thought she looked awfully familiar, and her name was Alana. It was astounding how much she resembled Legolas. One might say it was Legolas, only female.

"Alana Greenleaf, of Mirkwood." 

This information made Aragorn start, and he thought slightly angrily to the wizard, _So this is why you wanted me in here. I say Gandalf, you're plotting against the fellowship, now! Why, I wouldn't blame Legolas one bit if…_

"Is something wrong?" Alana suddenly felt worried, as if he would kidnap her or something for ransom.

"Nothing, just a thought." Aragorn would have said more if the door hadn't been opened that moment by Gimli, whom was carrying a tray of food.

"I'm playing servant for the day and brining this person food." He grumbled, but them stopped as he looked up at Alana's face. 

Alana frowned. What was a _dwarf_ doing here? And bringing her food?

"Hello Miss Elf, I am Gimli son of Gloin, at your service."

"I am Alana Greenleaf of Mirkwood." Alana replied warily, and her frown deepened as the dwarf nearly dropped what he was carrying.

"I have brought you food, ma'am." Gimli said, wondering if this just happened to be his dear friend's daughter.

"Thank you." Alana accepted the food and tried to ignore the two being in the room watching her eat.

The door opened again and in walked Gandalf, who instantly shooed Aragorn and Gimli from the room, to be alone with Alana.

***

Gimli and Aragorn walked intently for a moment before Gimli put an arm out to stop his companion.

"Is she, is she Master Elf's daughter, Aragorn?" 

"I think so, Gimli. They look alike, and I don't know too many Elves from Mirkwood and the royal house with the name Alana." 

"Do you think we should tell him?" Gimli whispered.

"No. I say that they should find out for themselves, even if we have to give them a good push in the right direction." 

***

The chance came on a rainy day, where the gentle drizzles of rain were making the ground into mud. Gimli went and invited Alana out to a walk in the rain, to clear her thoughts and stretch her legs. Aragorn invited Legolas to the same type of walk, but gave Gimli a good head start, and the two would meet up later.

Gimli stood with Alana looking down on a small, but strong river, where the only way across was a hard path down and across, or to walk across a log laid across the steep sides.

Alana stood looking about the area, her eyes reaching the rather open garden area. Suddenly two people walked out into the open, one was evidently Aragorn, and the blond haired one was familiar. 

He was turning, and Alana sucked in her breath, for this man looked every bit like her father, and as his face turned Alana recognized him.

"ADA!" 

***

"Alana's voice was as fair as her mother's, and she could scream louder than both of us combined. But when she would sing, you would be sent into a world of beauty."

Legolas turned his head as he and Aragorn walked out into the open gardens. He looked up a hill, across the river, and swore he saw his daughter running his way, and there was Gimli, just sitting there, but what was Gimli doing in his delusions?

"I can hear her voice sometimes…" Legolas stopped for a second as memory struck, and a scream of 'Ada!' reached his ears. "But they are always just illusions." Legolas turned from the place he had seen his daughter and looked down at the ground.

***

Alana raced down the hill and fast as she could, and began running across the log. The log was old, decaying, and very wet. That didn't matter so much to Alana, all she could think of was her father was alive!

Then something happened Alana didn't intend, she slipped, falling backwards on the log and it cracked beneath her sudden weight and the shove helped, and she was suddenly holding on the log's split ends as the rest fell into the river. If she fell, she would surely die, even if she survived the fall, the waterfall would kill her.

"DADDY!"

R/R Heh heh heh! I'll leave Alana dangling. Will Legolas figure out Alana wasn't an illusion? Or will this story have a sad ending? Read another addition of this story soon! (Now most of you should now understand the title.) 


	13. BreakNeck Hights

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Break-Neck Hights

Legolas spun faster than an Elfling on a newly washed floor. That scream wasn't an illusion. Gimli was running down the hill he saw his daughter on, screaming at him. Legolas took off running.

Legolas ran to the edge of the river, just as there was a large crack, and a scream, and then he saw Alana plunge into the rapids below. Not even thinking he dove in after her.

It was as if his mind was going on Auto-Play, for the rest of him was in too muck shock to move. He swam out towards the thrashing girl, and reached out for her, and it was at the moment he saw her stop thrashing.

Legolas looped his arm about his daughter's waist and brought her back against his chest. Grabbing a bit of the floating log he struggled to stay above water, and to keep Alana up. Now he could only wait for death. He could remember only once when he had been in this situation.

//Flashback//

Alana giggled and threw her thin arms around her father's neck, giggling into his hair as her very angry, and soaked mother arrived on shore.

Legolas took one look at his wife, and knew he was going to die. Novthô l glared at him, and started towards him with slow deliberation. He could just see the knife in her hands. Hugging his toddler daughter to his chest, he turned and ran.

It had been a simple prank, nothing more. Legolas had tricked Novthô l into going with him to the small swimming lagoon, an outbreak of a large river. When they had gotten there, Novthô l, disposed to some relaxation and awaiting no surprise, fell asleep, only to be awoken rudely when her husband decided to give her a bath. 

Alana had decided to help her father and had leapt on her mother's stomach, shoving her further down in the water, and then ran out and went to her father, also knowing that her mother was out to kill. 

Racing up the hill nearby to the river, he ended up trapped against the riverbank. Novthô l chased them still and as she got very close up to them, Legolas stepped back, and slipped on some wet stones and fell into the rushing river.

Alana screamed and grabbed onto her father's hair. Legolas struggled against the river and swam towards the shore, but the waves kept pushing him back. 

"Legolas!" Novthô l screamed and ran downstream to catch them soon.

The waterfall was approaching, and as they were about to go over, Legolas grabbed onto a rock that was jutting from the waterfall. Holding on tightly to the rock, he put both feet against the waterfall's wall and stood up slightly, swinging his body around and onto the shore.

"Oh Legolas, Alana." Novthô l was crying as she hugged them to her, and the soaking family left to return home.

//End of Flashback//

Legolas clung to his daughter a bit harder and prayed that another opportunity for them to be saved would come. The waterfall was drawing closer, and he could hear the falling water.

A coil of rope fell in front of him, and he could hear Aragorn and Gimli yelling at him. Grabbing onto the rope he shut his eyes and prayed. He suddenly felt air beneath him, and looking down he saw that the log had gone over the waterfall and lay in pieces below them. Gimli gave the rope a few good tugs as he brought them up.

Hugging his daughter tightly to him he shakily brought his hand up to her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, but still there.

"We must get her to the healers!" He yelled to Aragorn. Aragron nodded, and took Legolas by the arm, and they took off to the Healers Tent.

The Healers Tent was not very full, and they quickly got Alana to bed. While the healers bustled about, Legolas sat with his daughter and cradled her head, thinking how he could very well lose something he had just gotten back.

"Oh my little one, I love you. Don't leave me."

***

Alana stood in the void, looking at the Halls of Mandos happily. She could soon be with mother. But something was stopping her. Her father. He was alive! She could stay with him forever! They could be happy, too.

"Oh my little one, I love you. Don't leave me." She heard a whisper in her soul, evidently her father. She turned for a second, wandering where to go. She just stood there, waiting for a decision on her part.

***

Legolas looked out the window flap, and saw the sun going down. He hoped that this wasn't a sign of his daughter's passing. He hoped she would watch many, many more with them. He silently was pleading with Iluvatar not to take her away from him. Not to make this her last sunset…

R/R! Still could have a sad ending! A bit of action, and little bit of angst, and then there was that memory…


	14. Wives and Daughters

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Wives and Daughters

//Flashbacks//

"It is really time to be finding you a wife." Thranduil said to his son, whom was now sprawled gracefully out on the couch. 

"Hmm." Was the only answer, signifying that Legolas either didn't care or wasn't listening.

"Legolas." After waiting for a response, Thranduil went on. "You need to get married, my son. It isn't normal for a young one to be alone this long. You may go on to have a 'strange fate' as Lady Galadriel would say." 

"Hmm." Legolas opened one eye, and then the other, before rolling over to continue his meditation. But his father decided to make sure he was listening. So Thranduil went smacked Legolas somewhat gently in the side, and watched as Legolas moaned and sat up.

"Ada," Legolas moaned, "why'd ya have ta hit me?"

"So I'd know you were listening." 

"I heard you earlier. You want me to take a wife. I don't want to take a wife. I want to hunt orc." 

"Legolas that isn't an option in life! You need to take a wife!" Thranduil was easily exasperated, and this was one of the times where it wasn't wise to keep a fight up with him if he was so.

Legolas however didn't either see the signs, or just wouldn't stop while he was ahead. "No, I don't want to marry. I mean, can you see me with some arrogant woman sitting there and watching her sew?" 

Thranduil sighed, before saying, "Then go find someone to your tastes." 

***

Legolas growled angrily at the memory. That was where he was now, trying to find a wife to suite his tastes. Which was impossible. 

Legolas walked into a muddy tavern in one of the small villages. His hood was up, so not to be recognized, and he was wearing a long, green cloak.

Sitting at one of the tables he suddenly became mesmerized with one of the tables, where all the occupants were playing Manloth, and a cloaked person also lay there, with his feet on the table and his cards in hand.

Standing up he slowly walked to the table, and one swift glance told him that the cloaked man was winning, very easily, too.

"Tá ralanthir, you've beat us again! How do you do it!" one of the losing Elves asked, dropping his cards on the table angrily as Tá ralanthir clamed his prize.

"Practice." The voice was soft, barely there, and Legolas couldn't seem to recognize it.

Legolas smiled, it was time to head home, and he did have news.

***

"So, have you found someone?" Thranduil asked.

"Not a wife. But I did find a Manloth player." Legolas said, watching his father's face change from angry to surprised.

"How did you find that when I sent you out to find a wife?" Thranduil growled.

"I went into a tavern when it got dark and while in there I saw probably the Manloth player in all Middle Earth, and I have no clue who he is."

"No clue?"

"Well his name is Tá ralanthir, and that is all I know." Legolas replied, scuffing his feet lightly.

"Tomorrow when you go look for a wife, why don't you extend a invitation to play against me to this Manloth player of yours. Maybe he has a sister." 

Legolas sighed and walked out to his room.

***

Now leaning against the tavern wall, waiting for this Tá ralanthir to show up, Legolas fingered the letter lightly. The rough parchment in hand he slumped to the ground.

After a few more minutes of waiting the object of his wait erupted from the bushes nearby, brushing leaves off his cloak. Standing up, Legolas walked towards him with as much of a friendly air as he could.

"Hello?" He said uncertainly. Spinning around Legolas soon found himself looking at the end of dagger, but after seeing him Tá ralanthir dropped his arm and asked. 

"What do you want?" He asked gruffly.

Dropping his hood, he reached out and handed the parchment to the Elf, before turning around and twisting his head to see his reaction as he read the letter.

Tá ralanthir just nodded slightly and walked into the tavern, and did not look back.

***

A week later Tá ralanthir was sitting in the royal study playing Manloth, with his hood up and good hand. It would take too long to describe what happened, but I will tell you the Tá ralanthir won every game, and was slightly worried.

"I still say that you would be more comfortable if you dropped your hood." Thranduil said to his guest, now leaning back in his chair relaxing.

"If I may, Your Highness, I would prefer it to be on." The voice, as usual was gruff and quiet.

"Do what you wish, but you would be more comfortable."

Tá ralanthir nodded but kept on the hood. 

Many hours later, Tá ralanthir declared that he must return to his home, and left rather quickly. Too quickly to be normal. Legolas was becoming suspicious, and so he went into his room and looked out the window. Tá ralanthir was racing out of the palace at a dead run. As he ran through the forest brush, a branch swung out and snagged his hood, to reveal, a woman!

She had long dark brown hair and pale skin. And she was running for her life.

Legolas leapt lightly to the ground to follow this strange maiden. But he wasn't the only person who had seen this woman, and known what she was here for, the guards did too. 

He ran after her, stopping to pick up her cloak from the ground. His short stop made him later than he should, and the guards had caught up with the woman.

"Stop! Let go!" She pleaded with them as they grabbed onto her roughly and began to drag her back towards the palace.

"Let her go." Legolas said as he approached.

"But my lord, she must be brought before your father." The guard stuttered.

"I'll take her. I think I am strong enough to handle a woman." The guard nodded and let go of her arms, and headed back to his post.

The maiden laid in the muddy earth crying, shivering in the now pouring rain. Without her cloak she was quite cold, for women are not always as good in the cold. Legolas took her hand and stood her up, unfolding her cloak and wrapping it around her.

"Come" he said gently, taking her hand and putting his hand on her opposite shoulder.

Legolas led the trembling girl to his father's throne room, where the guard was making the report. 

"Bring her foreword." Thranduil said, absolutely hating this, he had been fond of the young Manloth player. "Now my dear, you know the charges, and so I would like to know who you are."

"My name is Novthô l, daughter of Belethgollo." Novthô l replied.

"What do you plead, by means of the charges?"

"Guilty, of male impersonation and breaking code." Novthô l answered, quietly.

The 'code' of Mirkwood was a strict set of rules set up by Oropher, that could not be broken without a permit. The code had everything from how big hunting parties in the South were supposed to be to start, to the size of a tavern. In the code it also mentioned correct manners for women, including the fact that they were not to be gambling without a permit. Breaking this code could be punishable by anything, from a fine to death. 

"How long have you been committing this?"

"Two hundred seven years." She replied.

Thranduil sighed. "According to our law that is punishable by exile, my dear, for the law is strict. I do not want to do this though." 

Legolas tensed. He had become intrigued by this maiden, and didn't want to lose the chance to see her again. 

Novthô l tensed, a sob rising in her throat. Exile was the ultimate death, she would die without Elven protection. They just couldn't! She crumpled to the ground and began to sob into her hands.

"Father." Legolas whispered as he came up to her throne. "Do not exile her. To tell you the honest truth I am quite smitten with her. Do not send her off! She is better at Manloth than the best of players. Why don't we just give her the permit?" 

Thranduil studied his son for a second, and saw that he was quite smitten with this maiden. He did want to give her the permit, so he would defy this law for once.

"My dear Novthô l, do not be troubled, for I will have mercy upon you. I will have mercy upon you, and just ask for a fine of time, in which you will help my son with certain tasks. Also if you wish I will give you a permit, so that you may go on playing without being afraid of someone finding out your identity."

"Oh thank you!" Novthô l threw herself at the feet before her king, and saw him smile softly. 

"I will go make up the permit now, and you may stay here with my son." Thranduil made a hasty retreat, ignoring the look Legolas gave him.

"Come, stand, Novthô l. There is no need for you to remain on the floor."

***

(Two years later) Legolas was pacing up and down the corridor in the Healing Wing of the palace. The screams of pain from within the closed room were really getting him. His father was downstairs dealing with some dwarf, and he was up here about to become a father. 

A new wail rose in the room next to him, and a healer came out a second later.

"You may go in." She said.

Legolas stepped into the room, his wife was laying on the beg propped up with a few pillows. A human girl was running in and out of the room quickly. 

Legolas sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at the tiny babe wrapped up in a blanket. The little blue eyes stared up at his identical eyes, and a small pink hand wrapped around a lock of golden hair that had fallen onto her face. 

"What is our little joy's name?" He asked Novthô l without looking up.

"I wanted to give her an easy name." Come the weary response. Novthô l didn't expect her dear husband to look up when he was so infatuated with the tiny bundle in her arms. _He's probably never seen a newborn before, let alone his own daughter. _"maybe a human one." 

Legolas just nodded his consent to her idea. 

"I thought of a good name. Alana." 

"Yes. Alana." Legolas said.

The door opened, and it startled Novthô l, but the others in the room didn't seem to care.

It was Aleaega, Queen of Mirkwood. Behind her Thranduil came in, and they looked down at their little granddaughter, and the tiny fist around their son's hair.

"She seems to favor your hair, Legolas." Aleaega said.

"Yes. What have you named her?"

"Something simple, and human. Alana." Novthô l replied.

Aleaega smiled. She was already fond of the small creature that her son couldn't tear his eyes from.

A small wail erupted from the tiny Elf, and Aleaega squeezed her son's shoulder, telling him "I think she's hungry, so I will kindly dispose of Legolas for you, Novthô l." 

Novthô l nodded, and waited for her husband to be removed from the room before beginning to nurse the tiny child.

Legolas sat down on a bench outside of the room. That adorable creature was his daughter? That beautiful baby? That was his Alana? Legolas sat and thought for a good long while about the small life he had helped to start.

//End of Flashbacks//

***

Merry and Pippin entered the Healing Tents to check up on Legolas, for they had heard he was there. After walking for a little while they found him, sitting next to a girl in the hospital bed. The girl looked almost exactly like him, and the two hobbits began to wonder.

"Legolas?" The Elf started, as if drawn from memories. "Who is she?"

"My daughter."

R/R Part Two is going to have a lot more angst than adventure, and you'll be able to see Legolas interact with his daughter before the accident. This story can still, however end up with her dying, mainly if I get tired of writing this. (Which I probably won't.) 


	15. Gloin and War Horses

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Gloin and War Horses

//Flashbacks//

Legolas dropped down the railing of the stair case to the floor silently, and walked to where the last tapestry furled. Pressing a knot in the wall, a secret door was opened and Legolas knew he had found the alleged 'dungeons'. 

Before the door closed behind the prince another Elf slipped into the dark hall, and so did the invisible Mr. Baggins, though no one else knew.

Novthôl hugged her daughter to her as she stepped into the dank lower halls that were only in legends. It was said that Oropher created the lower halls when the palace was built in case of emergency, and if Mirkwood was under war women and children who were not trained warriors would hide in the pitch black halls. Not even the smallest bit of sunlight was in the place. 

There was a small choked wail, and Legolas stopped and pivoted. Legolas sighed.

"You're supposed to be in bed." He said.

Novthôl glared at him. "I'm not going to stay in bed forever, Legolas!"

"You gave birth two days ago! You need to recover your strength!" 

Novthôl leaned foreword and kissed Legolas soundly. "Maybe this is how I recover strength. My husband staying with me and moving!"

"Go back to bed!"

Novthôl glared at Legolas again, before calmly asking, "Want me to punch you in the jaw?" She curled her hand into a fist.

"You wouldn't." 

"I could."

"I didn't say that you couldn't. I said you won't, because even if you do break all etiquette for Elf maidens you wouldn't actually hurt me."

In one moment he was proven wrong. 

Rubbing his sore jaw, Legolas gave up and walked over to the dwarf he was assigned to watch. He sat down and watched as, despite her earlier words, his wife left and went back upstairs and to bed.

A chuckle from the dwarf behind him roused him from his thoughts.

"Feisty woman, eh?" 

"Well, you wouldn't survive a day with her, Master Dwarf." Legolas responded.

"Why are we being kept down here?" The dwarf asked.

Legolas shrugged.

"Why, that stupid King! Locking us down here for no apparent reason!" The dwarf would had gone n if he hadn't seen the Elf smile.

"My father isn't being cruel, nor stupid. He's being paranoid!" Legolas laughed.

"Paranoid?"

"How would you feel if you had a grandchild being born at the same time you're trying to deal with some political business? My father was scared you would kidnap my little one!"

Gloin still thought that the King was after the treasure, but didn't find a need to argue with his guard anymore, and the two never spoke again.

***

(A few years later)

Legolas looked up at the gigantic war horse with the tiniest flicker of fear in his mind. The war horse was about twice his size, and around fifty times the size of his barely walking daughter, who now stood behind him looking up at the black stallion in wonder.

Niltincoiel stomped on giant hoof on the ground and snorted, daring the new master to ride her. If Niltincoiel had had red eyes she would have been the largest horse of the Nazgul horses. 

Legolas turned around and picked up his daughter, before heading back to the palace, dropping Alana off when he got there. 

"Don't go anywhere near that horse until I say you can, alright little one." Alana nodded.

Now of course, like all curious and new on their feet toddlers, Alana was going to go right back to the stable with her Ada. Walking silently, even swallowing her giggles, Alana made it back to the stable, climbed up into the loft and laid down.

Legolas approached the horse gently. Speaking some well chosen Elven words he eventually got the horse to let him near her, and even to mount her. Then Legolas took the horse from the barn, and out into a field made for the purpose of breaking in new horses. Alana, determined to be good, stayed in the barn, but climbed up on the loft window, which was open.

Alana watched as her father rode the giant stallion around for a little while in glee, but soon grew tired of the sport. Leaning foreword to see the field better, Alana did the most predictable thing that any child would have ended up doing. She fell.

Into her father's lap. The newly broken in stallion had seen the child about ready to fall and had sped up, catching the child in her father's lap, and in safety, for a fall like that would had broken the child's neck. Alana clung to the mare's mane to steady herself, and then looked sheepishly up at her father. 

Legolas was not happy. He was pretty angry that Alana had followed him back, and he was confused about what to do. The only thing he had to be glad for is the fact that the steed he was sitting on was smart enough to recognize his child and save her. 

Slipping off the large horse, he caught Alana as she tried to alight from the horse. Leading the horse back to her stall, and then took his daughter up in his arms, walking back to the palace.

He didn't speak the whole way and Alana knew she was in trouble. Legolas always became quiet and thoughtful when she was in trouble. 

That night was not going to be very pretty.

***

Alana was crying softly into her father's chest, and listening to the crooning voice. Legolas had come back to the palace and spoke with Novthôl, before going back to where he had left Alana. When he was finished with disciplining her he had kept her safe in his arms, and Alana could feel how much he loved her through the beating of his heart. It was slightly faster than normal, but it was gentle, just like Ada.

Alana knew from then on that she would always be safe as long as Ada was there with her.

//End of Flashbacks//

***

Legolas smiled sadly at the memory. Long since had Merry and Pippin left, and Legolas had been alone for quite a while. Nilcoire had shown up, back from running a message back to Mirkwood, and now lay spread out on Alana's bedside. He had given the healers such a shock! 

A healer suddenly burst through the door and said, "Sir, sir! Oh do come quick! Something's happened!"

Legolas looked reluctantly down at his daughter, but got up anyway and left. Right outside he found out what the trouble was.

Niltincoiel had not lost any of her feistiness, nor any of her strength through the years, and someone must have thought she would make a good new riding horse. In the torch light that was lighting up the night, Legolas could make out that the message that had been sent to Rivendell had been received. Many unconscious men lay at her feet, and many warriors were trying to approach her, only to be smacked.

When the men saw the Elf they thought, at least he's light for when we have to drag his body to the Houses of Healing. Legolas shook his head, and ignoring the warning others were giving him he walked up to his war horse and began to stroke the long, black mane.

The men stood stupefied, as the Elf led the horse to the paddock with Arod in it.

Legolas walked back over to the Tents and walked to his daughter's, only to be terrified.

***

Where was Ada? Alana couldn't feel any warmth. Ada had left her to die. Ada had deserted her. She made her choice then, and began to walk towards Mandos.

***

Alana's breathing was shallow and labored. Loud gasps of air entered her suffering lungs. Legolas fought his way through all the healers to where his daughter lay. Just as he knelt down next to her there was silence. 

Her rasps were over, and there was just choked silence. Putting out his hand over her mouth, tears filled and spilled over his eyes. 

She wasn't breathing.

R/R I realize that you reviewers are now getting your swords and bows ready to go to war on me. There is more to this story! This is no where near the end! Don't kill me!


	16. The End to a Very Long Night

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The End to the Longest Night

Legolas let out a heart breaking wail, before collapsing on his daughter's silent body. _No! No, no, no, no! Please, no! My daughter! Please, oh Valar! _Lifting up his daughters head, he put her into his arms and sobbed into her hair. 

Not being able to stand the sight of his dead daughter's corpse, Legolas raced from the tent and collapsed on the wet earth, feeling rain fall on him again, just as it had when Alana had seen him again. 

__

It's all your fault. If you hadn't been so stupid, everything would be fine now. You murdered your own daughter! Fool! MURDERER!

Legolas stood up, and turned to face the rays on the sun, signifying that the sun would rise soon. It had been a long night.

***

Alana heard faintly someone screaming 'No!' and felt a sudden warmth all over her body. Ada was back.

Alana had been about to walk in the door of death and let her hide die. But this warmth, this love was drawing her back. She turned from the Halls of Mandos and ran straight back to the door that would take her home.

***

Alana took a loud breath, seconds after Legolas had left the tent in seek of solace. Healers gasped and began running about, checking her vitals and asking her questions.

Alana had enough strength to stand up, and told the healer's to let her leave, that she needed to speak to her father.

It took quite a lot of convincing, but the healers relented, and gave her a dress and leave to find her father.

The dress, as anyone in the streets of Gondor that early in the morning would say, made her look much like ghost, even more then her pale complexion and how the sun made her hair seem almost dew-gold. Her bright blue eyes added to this. 

Alana walked with much grace, and most stopped and gaped. Aragorn and Gimli, who had heard of her 'death', ran over to her.

"You're alive!" Gimli said up to her, as she hugged him. 

"Yes. Very alive, but I almost visited Mandos."

Alana saw out of the corner of her eye Frodo and Sam step out of one of the buildings along the street, both looking very upset about something.

"And to think, Mister Frodo, that she'd just go off and die on us! What sort of friend…" Sam's voice trailed off as he looked up and saw Alana. "Is she a ghost?"

"Yes. I come to say my farewells." Alana slowly spoke, letting her voice seem heavy.

Sam looked at her, and then pretended to faint dead away on the ground. Alana glared down at him. "What was that for?" 

"Your immense ugliness would have killed me." Sam replied.

"You still fight, no matter what. Well that's a good sign."

"How is that a good sign, Frodo." Aragorn asked, hoping not to stop a large brawl between Alana and Sam.

"Well, they haven't lost their sense of humor."

Alana smiled at Frodo and started off down the street again to find her father.

She found Legolas watching the sunrise, and she could see the tear tracks on his face. He looked so different than the happy, bouncy father that he once was, his youth hidden beneath much grief and the look of seeing of much war. 

The clouds were breaking at the edge of the horizon to show the red sunrise, but the whole world seemed to still be in rain, which was now lessening. 

Alana slipped her hand gently into his. Legolas looked down at her thin hand, and then followed the hand up an arm, and then up until he was looking into her eyes.

"Alana?" he murmured, not believing. 

"Ada?" She said, slightly rhetorically.

"Are you a ghost?" Legolas knew that his daughter was dead, so this had to be one.

Alana laughed. "That's what Sam said. Oh, Ada. Do I feel like a spirit?"

Legolas just looked at her. After all this hard quest, and after the Mirkwood fire, he finally was with his little girl again, and they were both alive.

Legolas drew his daughter in a bone-crushing hug. After a second, Alana returned it. She snuggled into her father's chest, and listened to his heartbeat, gentle and slow, just like always. The rain stopped slowly as Legolas held his daughter, and she looked up into Legolas' eyes. A shadow had been taken from his face, showing the youthful face she had once seen. Tears still came down his cheeks, but now they were of joy. It had been the perfect end to a very long night.

"I love you, nin iell, my little one."

"I love you too, Ada."

R/R Collective 'Aww' from the reviewers. Please review! There is a LOT more to come. There are still going to be a bunch of memories, but this story may go on until Legolas and Gimli go to the Grey Havens. (nin iell means 'my daughter' if you remember)


	17. Banquets

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Banquets

Alana hissed in pain as her father ran the brush through her golden locks again. Her hair was unnaturally knotted, and it was hurting her quite a bit.

Legolas smiled down at Alana and ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the feeling of her silky hair unknotting beneath his fingers. Alana growled up at him, smacking his hands away.

"Ada! Stop! OW!" A particularly hard yank from the brush had her letting out such a howl that made mice in a field fifteen miles away scurry to find their homes. She also let out such a long trail of Dwarfish curses that Legolas had to cover her mouth with his hand to stop the flow.

"Should have never let Gimli around you." Legolas muttered. 

"Wasn't his fault, OW!" Alana grabbed Legolas by his wrist and stole away the brush, smacking her father on the stomach as she hopped up and ran for her life.

Alana raced down the halls and ran straight into Aragorn.

Aragorn, rising only a few inches higher than the Elf, who was still growing and held a promise for being at least her father's size, was knocked back into the wall. (Alright, maybe I exaggerated on her size, he would be about a head taller) Pulling Aragorn from the wall, Alana ducked behind him and hid. Unfortunately for her, Arwen came down the hall at that moment, and caught on to the situation.

"Oh, Alana." She giggled, reaching out and taking the girl's hand, "Afraid of letting your father get you ready." She laughed a bit more when Alana nodded. "Come. I'll get you ready."

After kicking Legolas out of Alana's room, which took a fair amount of time, Arwen sat Alana down to begin the transformation.

***

The Fellowship sat at long tables in Aragorn's hall, watching various people dance out on the floors. They were all enjoying themselves, but all secretly wondering where the 'Wondering Maiden' as Merry and Pippin, who had only seen Alana once, was.

Then a gasp came from the hall as a figure descended from the steps on the right hand side of the hall. The figure was clothed in white, had her hair put in waves, and was, if anyone would dare say it, a definite rival for Lady Galadriel. Her limbs were long, and her face was pale, blue eyes shining. A soft shine was on her lips from a pink berry juice, and a green stone hung around her neck. 

The Fellowship stood up suddenly. "Alana?" The all asked, in practically one voice. 

"Better than anything you guys could do." Alana grumbled, breaking the girly façade with her complaints.

Sam opened his mouth and shut it without a word. Either he was wondering what happened to Alana, or he was just awed.

It was Legolas who voiced the question. "What happened to your old body?"

Alana glared at him, stepping right up to him, and poked him right in the chest. "Now you listen here! If you insult he one more time, I will beat you to a bloody pulp!" 

Now to anyone else this would seem obsurd, considering that Alana only came up to Legolas' chest. But to all those who knew Alana well, the idea of her beating her father up was perfectly seeable, though she would probably just hit at him, for she couldn't hurt him.

Legolas laughed down at her. "My dear, though I do believe that you could kill me, I do have the upper hand here. Come, sit down, my iell." 

Alana sat down in the offered place, and sat for a little while.

Before she knew it, Alana had nodded off, and was fast asleep in her seat. Legolas walked over and scooped her up into his arms, and took Alana up to her room.

"Good night, my dear daughter." Kissing Alana on the forehead, before he left the room.


	18. Hard Choices

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Hard Choices

Alana traveled with her father and Gimli for many years, and on many adventures. And though she loved the adventure, the time, she knew, was coming, where she would follow her grandfather's steps and leaves Middle-Earth.

The day came sooner than expected.

Alana slew another wolf with her dagger, before turning her attention to the orcs that were attacking. They were some of the last orcs, and their deaths would soon destroy the existence of these disgusting creatures. 

Alana turned for one second, and in that second she missed the hilt of an orc-sword coming down on her skull.

Legolas, a little ways away, slew the final orc there, and looked around. He saw Gimli lying unconscious against a tree trunk, but was having some difficulty finding Alana. He walked around the camp, yelling her name, until his foot came in on a dagger.

Stepping off it, he looked down. It was Alana's.

***

Legolas ran through the forest three days later, praying to the Valar that his iell was still alive. Stopping his chase only once in a while to look for tracks, Legolas ran for a full three days with no rest.

Legolas broke into a clearing. He looked around, desperate for the footprints. They walked across the clearing, and then stopped suddenly.

Following the tracks to where they stopped, Legolas began to search for something else. He spotted it. A hidden door descending into the ground. 

Reaching down he pulled up the handle and began to walk down the stone stairs that led to the dark, uninviting tunnels.

Gimli came into the clearing just in time to see his friend's head disappear into the brush. He walked over, and quickly followed Legolas down.

Legolas looked over his shoulder at his stout friend. They walked down the narrow passage for an hour before they heard something. Screams.

"Ada! Ada save me! ADA!" 

Legolas broke into a run then, bolting down the corridor faster than anything Gimli had ever seen, at least.

Legolas threw open a pair of doors and found six orcs brutally attacking someone. Notching two arrows, Legolas shot, and the two creatures fell dead.

He shot the other four in the same manner and then ran to where his young daughter lie, sobbing. She was bruised, they had whipped her, and it was obvious that they had done more, much more.

"Alana?"

Alana glanced up, and then suddenly found her feet very interesting. Legolas knelt down next to her, and gently pulled her into a soft hug, stroking her hair.

Alana cried bitterly into his arms, letting her father rock her as though she were three again. She clung to him and wouldn't let go, for fear he would disappear.

Legolas lifted Alana up and turned to leave, meeting Gimli at the door. 

***

Alana wasn't healing correctly, and Legolas knew this, but he was too afraid to let the last bit of his family go, ever since Thranduil, his father, had left, Legolas had been dreading the day that he would loose her, if she did not come with him. Alana had been healing for many months though, and she still was steadily dying. Legolas knew what he had to do, and he hated it more than anything.

"Ada?" 

Legolas turned a tear stained face to Alana, who was watching his with sad eyes. She sighed.

"Then, Ada, you now what I must do." She concluded, by the look on his face.

Legolas didn't stop his tears as he gathered her to his chest. She snuggled up close to him, listening to the steady rhythm on his beating heart. 

"It won't be forever. Just a little while." She whispered to him.

"Every moment without you I shall loose a bit more of myself." He replied, allowing his tears to drip into her hair.

"I will be without pain, Ada. And Grandfather will be there, and I shall be free." Legolas just held her, listening to her voice. 

"We will leave tomorrow, Ada. But I will never leave you completely."

R/R I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG OF A BREAK!!!!!! Please review! Two more chapters and this will be finished, but If I get enough requests, I will right a compainion piece about Alana's early childhood, which will explain more. 


	19. Departures

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Departure 

// -Flashback

Legolas watched the sunset with tears rolling down his face.

// "Don't worry, daddy. I'll be safe." Alana reassured him time and time again. She hugged her father to herself and reached her hand up to touch his turned face. Her fingers came back wet.

"Oh, Ada! Don't weep for me. I'll be free!" 

"How can I not. I feel like I'm loosing my little girl." Legolas said sadly, and turned to stroke her face.

"You're not." Alana replied. 

A low whistle blew to them and they found themselves saying their last goodbyes. 

"Well, goodbye." Legolas said to her.

"Not goodbye, for goodbye is forever. Just 'Until next time.'" Alana hugged Legolas fiercly.

"I love you." Legolas pulled Alana out in front of himself, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. 

"Love you." Alana replied. 

Legolas took his daughter's hand and helped her onto the ship. The ship took off, but Legolas continued to hold Alana's hand, until only their fingertips touched. His hand was extended, though, long after the ship baring Alana to the Undying Lands had disappeared beyond the horizon. //

"Namarie, nin iell." He murmured. "I love you."

***

Alana looked out upon the sea before her quietly. They had traveled for several weeks now, and the ship was approaching the havens. Alana distressed over her father as she thought this. She was going to the havens without him.

//"What are the Undying Lands, Ada?" A three year old Alana asked her father as she was tucked into bed. 

"They are the, well, Undying Lands." Legolas grinned for a fraction of a second. "That's the place where the Elves will go when our time here is finished."

"Like Uncle Bractintoa?" 

"Yes, like your uncle."

"Will you go with me?"

"I wouldn't dare leave you here."

"And Atara?"

"She'll come too."

"Promise?"

"Promise."//

"The promise is broken, Ada. You aren't here. Neither is Atara." Alana told the wind.

"Alana!" Bard, a sailor, called from the bow of the ship. "We're at the havens!"

Alana, all things forgotten, ran to the bow of the ship to see the beautiful havens stretching out before her.

The plank was lowered, and Alana, eager to be there, ran down it. The second Alana's foot touched the earth there something happened.

The doors to the hall of Mandos opened.

R/R Please review! One more chapter till the end! *sobs*. I am going to write the companion piece. Last chapter I'll have a name for it. Okay? OK.


	20. Epilogue

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Epilogue

Legolas stepped off the gang plank and stepped into Valinor. He glanced about happily until his eyes met with another pair of blue ones.

"Alana!" 

Alana pushed her way through the crowds and threw herself into her father's arms. It had been nearly fifteen years since Alana sailed from Middle-Earth, and she was happy to see her father.

"Told you I'd be fine!" She whispered into his ear.

Legolas laughed happily. Alana snuggled up to his shoulder and then she saw someone else come off the ship.

"Uncle Gimli!" She cried happily, kneeling down to hug the elderly dwarf. "Well," she said when she had finished hugging the dwarf, "did ya bring me anything?"

Gimli laughed and said, "I knew you'd say that. Yes, I brought you something." Gimli fished out a necklace with a jewel incased in smooth stone and handed it to her. It sparkled.

"Thank you, Uncle Gimli!" She at once slid the necklace on and began to admire it. "It's so beautiful."

"I hoped you'd say that. Made it myself." Gimli smiled.

"Oh, thank you!" Alana hugged Gimli again, and then she stepped back and slide her arm through her father's. "Ada, there's something I think you should see."

Alana led them through the streets of Valinor, which would be too beautiful to describe to you. She led them out into a country side, and then stepped into a small cottage in along the road.

They dropped their stuff there, and Gimli was told that he would live with them there, but after sending him off to unpack, Alana took Legolas' arm again and led him out to the garden behind the cottage. A woman was sitting on a bench with her back to them, reading a book.

The woman had long, wavy brown hair falling below her waist. She was slightly tanned by the sun.

Legolas breathed in sharply. He could hardly believe it. 

"Novthô l?"

The woman turned to reveal happy green eyes.

Legolas ran to the woman, throwing his arms around her, tears flowing down his cheeks. 

"Oh Novthô l." She murmured into her hair.

Novthô l giggled and hugged her husband back. "Aw, Legolas, don't mess up my hair! Death was hard on it!" 

He pulled her away from him for a moment, as if to make sure it was her. She giggled again, and he knew it was her. Pulling her gently to him, he kissed her.

Alana rolled her eyes when the kiss became passionate. Walking up between them she pulled the two apart and sat down between them. "Oh, please." She grumbled.

Legolas wrapped his arms around his wife and child, hugging them and telling them never to go away again. 

A sudden gruff voice broke the moment.

"You crazy Elf, come here and help me with this pile of junk up here! I;m not as young as I used to be!"

"What was that?" Novthô l asked.

"Gimli?"

"A dwarf? You brought a dwarf here?" 

"Yep! Uncle Gimli, and he's living with us. He's really nice. He gave me a necklace!" Alana covered up for Legolas as he slipped back into the house to help Gimli.

"Oh, it's so good to have everyone here again." Novthô l said, and hugged her daughter again.

****

THE END

Um, please review with any questions. I'm so sad this story is over! It was my favorite to write! Look out soon for a story called 'Rainfall'. It's a companion story to this one. It'll be about Alana's childhood, and stuff. Send me some suggestions on what I should put in! 


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